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PREMIERE | Chicago Farmer's 'I Need A Hit'

Cody Diekhoff -- known around these pages as Chicago Farmer -- has been a regular presence around our Chicago music scene for a number of years. Whether as a solo performer or in the rarer-but-welcome full band format, downstate's Diekhoff brings life to his songs on stage, and he is finally ready to put that foot forward on record.

A new double-disc live set, Quarter Past Tonight. releases on August 3rd and contains over 30 tracks spanning stories, songs and story-songs, including several yet-to-be-released.

Diekhoff is allowing Tomorrow's Verse to premiere one such track that contains all three. The autobiographical "I Need A Hit" provides a cheeky story of the musician's struggle, puncutated by some clever banter, before returning for a modified final verse. It has not previously been issued on an official LP.

"There's always an interesting feeling going on inside when you perform a new song or story in front of a live audience for the first time. It could go great, or it could go nowhere. I actually wasn't planning on kicking off the second set with this tune, but after hanging with some old school friends during the set break, it just seemed fitting," Diekoff tells us about the performance captured here.

"You can definitely hear me begin to loosen up and relax after a few verses in, and I feel it really set the tone for one of my favorite all-time Chicago Farmer sets. The crowd seemed to relate and dig it too, which is great, because it's a true story."

Listen to "I Need A Hit"...

These sets were recorded live on December 1st and 2nd, at Chicago Farmer’s two sold out shows at Peoria's Apollo Theatre.

As always, he'll hit the road in support of this release with a Midwest heavy tour including a stops to celebrate his 40th birthday and appearance at Shoe Fest, where he's remained a staple act since the beginning.